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In the great debate on illegal migration and its consequences, a section of the intelligentsia spent the whole energy focusing on the economic impact of the immigrant influx and their absorption into the state fold. The debate around the immigration reform bill SS-744 also exposed the fact that illegal immigration is really expensive.

Some disturbing facts about United States cost of illegal immigration,

57 percent of all households by an immigrant (legal or illegal) are the recipient of at least one welfare program.

For the sake of legalizing illegal migrants the cost to U.S. taxpayers will be 6.3 trillion dollars in the next 50 years.

Illegal immigration breaking the agility of health care system as they could not afford to stay open after being endlessly swamped by illegal immigrants who were simply not able to pay for the services they were receiving.

U.S. taxpayers spend $12,000,000,000 per annum on primary and secondary school education for the children of illegal immigrants.

Many Layers

Even in the case of lawful immigration seven government cabinet agencies receive more than half a billion requests a year which include those from U.S. citizens, immigrants and nonresident aliens. The American Action Forum (AAF) run by former Congressional Budget Office director Doug Holtz-Eakin says immigrants are costing $30 billion a year to the state.

A skilled immigrant spends roughly 18 hours and $2,500 filling out at least 16 forms on his path to naturalization. Overall 234 government forms are linked to immigration and it takes 98.8 million hours of paperwork per year.

Immigration related paperwork is draining $5.9 billion annually from the wealth of U.S. No one doubts that immigration system needs reform but at the same time all agree that more than that it is the regulatory system that needs an immediate overhaul.

Gainful Immigration

A recent contends that contrary to general perception the U.S. economy would only benefit lavishly if the illegal immigrants were granted citizenship. It says granting undocumented immigrants immediate citizenship would add $1.4 trillion to the exchequer by way of increased tax revenue and job growth.

America with its 39.9 million foreign-born people as in 2010 has 44 percent naturalized citizens and 24 percent legal permanent residents. Now the contentious issue is granting citizenship rights to 12 million illegal immigrants.